Apparatus for attaching members to articles

ABSTRACT

Apparatus is disclosed for attaching members to articles by means of pressure sensitive tape. In the disclosed embodiment, the articles are trash bags and the members are bag ties. The apparatus includes a tape dispenser for applying a length of pressure sensitive tape to the bag and a tie dispenser operable to dispense a tie into the path of the delivered tape length to be secured to the bag by the delivered tape length. The apparatus is provided with control means for so operating both dispensers as to effect such disposition of a bag tie whenever the tape dispenser is operated to deliver a tape length. A control system is also disclosed by which the operating cycle of the apparatus is initiated manually or automatically by the bag making apparatus which it controls in the event of malfunctions.

1451 Nov. 11, 1975 United States Patent Davis 1 APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING MEMBERS 3.794.543 211974 1301101111.......,.,.,...,.,,.....,,... litnihh TO ARTICLES 1111974 3.850.724 Lehmacher.....,,... IShJSlH Primary E.\'llHIll1(I'-ChLH'lGS E. Van Horn Assistant E.\rm11'/1erM. G. Wityshyn [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus is disclosed for attaching members to articles by means of pressure sensitive tape. In the dis closed embodiment. the articles are trash bags and the members are bag ties. The apparatus includes a tape &A W 8. 3 9 w 5 I 6 5 o 2 M l C s U N 5 [51] Int. B31B 1/90 dispenser for applying a length of pressure sensitive tape to the bag and a tie dispenser operable to dis pense a tie into the path of the delivered tape length to be secured to the bag by the delivered tape length. The apparatus is provided with control means for so References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 913 Allen operating both dispensers as to effect such disposition 940 ofa bag tie whenever the tape dispenser is operated to deliver a tape length. A control system is also disclosed by which the operating cycle of the apparatus is [00/97 initiated manually or automatically by the bag making 156/521 apparatus which it controls in the event of malfunc- 156/583 tigns 156/53 Rane M. tn C" m e1 en IJH m Cr. HC

l56t5t14 [0 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Nov. 11, 1975 Sheet 1 0f 11 U.S. Patent. Nov.11, 1975 Sheet2of1l 3,919,038

U.S. Patent Nov. 11, 1975 Sheet4ofl1 3,919,038

U.S. Patent Nov. 11,1975 SheetS ofll 3,919,038

U.S. Patent Nov. 11, 1975 Sheet 6 of 11 3,919,038

U.S. Patent Nov. 11, 1975 Sheet? of 11 3,919,038

U.S. Patent N0v.l1, 1975 Sheet8of11 3,919,038

U.S. Patent Nov. 11,1975 Sheet 10 0f11 3,919,038

JUL

US. Patent Nov. 11, 1975 Sheet 11 of 11 3,919,038

w A w APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING MEMBERS TO ARTICLES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In many operations it is necessary to affix a member to an article and one example of this type of operation is represented by bags, particularly trash bags, where the requirement is that ties be secured to them for the convenience of the purchaser of the bags when the bags are used. In order to meet production and cost requirements, this operation must be automatically performed and at the present time there are no means for performing this or like operations.

THE PRESENT INVENTION The principal objective of the present invention is to provide apparatus that is operable to attach a member to an article, an objective attained with a pressure sensitive tape dispenser or applier hereinafter usually referred to as a tape dispenser operable to press a length of such tape to the article, a member dispenser operable to dispose a member in the path of a tape length delivered by the tape dispenser, and with a control for both dispensers to effect such disposition of the member whenever the tape dispenser is operated.

Another objective of the invention is to provide that such disposition of a member is in advance of the delivery of the tape length and yet another objective of the invention is to provide means to hold the thus disposed member by the tape applying head of the tape dispenser above the article to be deposited thereon with a tape length.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a member dispenser for members that are flexible, the dispenser including a reel or spool containing a long length of member-forming material, means to extend a predetermined length therefrom into the path of the tape length, and means to sever the extended length, desirably with the severing means also operable to hold the thus-formed end of the long length until another length is to be drawn from the reel.

Another objective of the invention is to provide means by which the apparatus is rendered inoperable when the supply of tape is or is nearly exhausted.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a control for operating the apparatus through a particular cycle with additional specific objectives including that of being able to have the operating cycle initiated either manually or by the operation of other apparatus such as that used in making or conveying the articles to which the members are to be attached, that of enabling both the attaching apparatus and such other apparatus to be halted if the attaching apparatus malfunctions, preventing the operation of the attaching apparatus except at the end of a cycle, and providing that the apparatus may be operated with only the tape length dispenser included in the control.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention of which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a side view thereof on an increase in scale;

FIG. 4 is a view of the front of the tape dispenser,

FIG. 5 is a view of the back of the tape dispenser;

FIG. 6 is a view of the tape dispenser as seen from the left in FIG. 4',

FIG. 7 is a section taken approximately along the indicated lines 7-7 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view, on an increase in scale, of a tape roll mounted on the hub of the tape dispenser;

FIG. 9 is a section taken approximately along the indicated lines 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a vertical section taken length-wise of the head of the tape dispenser;

FIG. 11 is a section, on an increase in scale, taken approximately along the indicated lines ll-l1 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 12 is a partly sectioned view of the cutter;

FIG. 13 is a rear end view of the tie-dispenser;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary side view showing a reel brake in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 15 is an end view thereof; and

FIGS. 16 and 16A are schematic views of the hydraulic system and the electrical circuits employed to control it.

THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION The preferred embodiment of the invention is herein disclosed as apparatus for attaching ties to bags, particularly but not necessarily trash bags.

In FIG. 1, a trash bag B is shown of the end weld type conventionally formed from tubular plastic stock carried by a conveyor C and sealed at a predetermined length by a heat bar and cutter unit H to provide an open-ended bag of a desired length. Apparatus for making such bags as well as those formed by side welds are well known and as bag making apparatus as such forms no part of this invention, only said unit H is shown and that only an an example of one of the several means by which the operation of the apparatus in accordance with the invention may be automatically controlled.

The apparatus includes a support 20 adapted to straddle the path of bags B if the ties are to be attached to them as they are formed or the position of a bag B if the bag ties are to be applied to bags at a later time. The support 20 has a backing bar 20A extending lengthwise thereof over which the conveyor C extends. For convenience, the unit H is shown closer to the support 20 than it would be in practice.

The support 20 has a dispenser, generally indicated at 21, mounted thereon and operable to press a length of pressure sensitive tape 22 against the subjacent bag B where it is backed by the bar 20A. The support 20 also has a dispenser, generally indicated at 23, mounted thereon and operable to dispose a tie 24 in the path of the tape length 22 so that it will be secured to the bag B by a dispensed tape length 22 with the tape length 22 transversely of the tie 24 and between its ends. It will be appreciated that the ties 24 are placed near the mouths of the bags as shown in FIG. 1. The support 20 also includes a control panel 25.

The tape dispenser 21 will be first described. Desirably and as shown, the dispenser 21 is of the type disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,625,799.

In more detail, the dispenser 21 has a mount 26 attached to the support 20 and extending transversely thereof. The cylinder 27 of a double-acting, airoperated, piston-cylinder unit, generally indicated at 28, is secured in a vertical position to the mount 26 and desirably is of a type having an adjustable and cushioned stroke.

A head 29 is fixed on the lower end of the stem 30 of the unit 28. The head 29, best seen in FIG. 10, has parallel axles 31, 32, and 33 with the axle 31 rotatably supporting a rectangular feed block 34 whose corners function as transverse. linear cutting edges. Pins 35 project laterally from the sides of the block 34, one pin at each corner. The axle 32 supports a fairing roll 36 connected thereto by a one way clutch 37 locking the fairing roll 36 against turning in a counter clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 10, and the axle 33 rotatably supports an anvil 38 having a resilient core 39.

The feed block 34 has headed holding pins 40, two for each of its faces and held outwardly projecting by the axle 31 except in the area of its downwardly opening cam pocket 41 which permits the pins to move vertically inward out of their holding position when a tape length 22 is pressed against a bag B.

The feed block 34 is held against turning in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 10, by a yieldable detent 42 engageable by a pin 35 and resiliently urged into its operative position by a spring 42A.

A depending hanger 43 has a central, downwardly opening slot 44. Pawl members 45, interconnected as at 46 are connected to the hanger 43 by a pivot 47 traversing the slot and supporting a coil spring 48 within the slot by which the pawl members are yieldably maintained with their slightly curved, forked ends 45A in an pin-engaging position and with the upper ends of the pawls 45 in engagement with stops 49 attached to the hanger 43.

When air is delivered to the unit 28 to drive its stem 30 downwardly from its normal, upper position, the pawl members 45 are forced to pivot away from their normal position in which they are in engagement with the lower proximate pins 35 by the upper proximate pins 35 as the block 34 is moved downwardly into its operative position in which it is in engagement with the bag B. On upward movement of the stem 30, said upper proximate pins 35 engage the pawl ends 45A so that as the head 29 reaches its upper position, the feed block 34 is forced in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 10, through a quarter turn and during such a turn, the tape covering the corner whose pins 35 are held by the forked pawl ends 45A comes into shearing contact with the anvil 38 and thus provides a severed tape length 22 on the bottom face of the block 34 ready to be applied to a bag B when the unit 28 is again operated. Conduits S1, 52 in communication with the cylinder 27 are under the control of a four way valve 53, see

FIG. 16, by which they are alternatively connected to a source of air under a suitable pressure, indicated at S or to relief.

A tape roll 54 of pressure sensitive tape has a core, generally indicated at 55, desirably of the type disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,53 1,057, rotatably attached to a hub 56 with which the mount 26 is provided. Tape from the roll 54 is trained about a series of tape guide rollers 57 on the mount 26 including a pair of rollers 57A mounted on an arm 58 having a central pivotal connection 58A with the mount 26. See FIG. 4. The tape is then trained about the fairing roll 36 and part way about the block 34 and secured thereto, sticky side out.

The hub 56, see FIG. 9, is cylindrical and houses a cup 59 rotatably secured therein by a threaded pivot 60 with a coiled spring 61 confined between the head of the pivot and the closed end of the hub 56 to provide an adjustable drag. A coil spring 62 within the cup 59 has one end anchored thereto and its other end projecting radially outwardly through a slot 63 extending transversely of the cup 59 inwardly of one of its two diametrically opposed and outwardly extending flanges 64 which are spaced apart to receive between them the appropriate one of the inwardly disposed and diametri cally opposed flanges 65 of the roll core 55.

With this construction, the tape roll core 55 may be slipped in place on the hub 56. When the tape is connected to the block 34 in the manner above described and the core 55 turned to position its flanges 65 in back of the flanges 64 with one in engagement with the exposed end of the spring 62 the core and hub are interconnected with the spring 62 functioning to yieldably cushion pulls on the tape and to bias the roll in a winding direction.

It will be noted that the hub is located closely adjacent an upper corner of the mount 26. In accordance with the invention and as may best be seen in FIG. 5, an arm 66 is pivotally connected at 67 to the rear face of the mount 26 adjacent the bottom edge thereof and close to the unit 28. The arm 66 extends beyond the mount 26 with its free end provided with a transversely disposed bracket 68 supporting a roller 69 engageable with the periphery of a tape roll mounted on the hub 56 and to remain in engagement therewith until the supply of tape wound thereon is or is nearly exhausted.

An air-operated, piston-cylinder unit, generally indicated at 70, has its cylinder 71 attached to a plate 72, the upper end of which has a pivoted connection 73 with the mount 26 adjacent its other upper comer and its depending stem 74 provided with a clevis 75 for the pivot 76 by which the stem 74 is connected to the am 66. With this arrangement, air delivered into the lower end of the cylinder 71 is effective to draw the arm 66 upwardly thereby to maintain the roller 69 in contact with the periphery of the tape roll 54 as it unwinds.

It will be seen that the clevis 75 is provided with an arm 77 en gageable with the operating stem 78 of a generally indicated normally open switch 79 also mounted on the plate 72. The switch 79 is closed by the engagement of the arm 77 with the stem 78 when the arm 66 has been pulled upwardly to a predetermined extent by the unit 70 against the unwinding roll 54.

The air and electrical circuits including the unit 70 and the switch 79 will be described in connection with FIGS. 16 and 16A in which complete circuits are shown.

It will be noted that a plate 80 is attached to the rear face of the mount 26 and that the plate 80 has sites 80A and 80B where switches may be mounted to be operated by the arm 66 to close alarm circuits to warn the operator first when a tape roll is nearly exhausted and then when the operation of the dispenser 21 has finally been halted.

Turning now to the tie dispenser 23, it will be seen that it includes a base plate 81 provided with transversely aligned mounts 82 each having an upwardly opening slot 83 for the axle 84 of a reel or spool 85 on which is wound a substantial length of the flexible material 86 from which the bag ties 24 are formed. Such material typically consists of lead wire 86A confined between two marginally united paper or plastic strips 868, see FIG. 11.

In order to prevent the reel from over-running, a brake is provided consisting of a brake member 87 engageable with the periphery of one end of the reel 85 and carried by an arm 88 pivotally attached at 89 to one of the mounts 82 above the axle 84 with its lower end connected to the mount by a spring 90. The arm 88 is also provided with a roller 91 under which the material 86 is trained before it is trained over a flanged roller 92 mounted on the end of the plate 81 in a position enabling the material to be passed about the flanged roller 93 on the undersurface of the plate 81 and thence over successively narrower flanged guide rollers 94 and 95, the guide roller 95 being about the width of the material 86. The guide rollers 93, 94, and 95 are centrally mounted on the undersurface of the plate 81. The combination of rollers ensures the centering of the material under the plate 81 as the reel 85 unwinds even though it is of substantial width, see FIG. 13.

The plate 81 has spaced side bars 96, see FIGS. 2 and 3, extending beyond supports 97 and interconnected by an end support 98. The supports 96 and 97 are interconnected by a pair of slide rods 99 to which a slide plate 100 is connected by pillow blocks 101. The slide plate 100 is provided with a block 102 to which the stem 103 of a double-acting, air-operated pistoncylinder unit, generally indicated at 104 is connected. The cylinder 105 of the unit 104 is mounted on the support 97 and its air conduits 106 and 107 are placed in the alternative in communication with the source S or relief by means of a valve 108, see FIGS. 16 and 16A, thereby to reciprocate the slide plate 100 between retracted and advanced or feeding positions.

The bottom of a U-shaped member 109 secured to the undersurface of the slide plate 100 is the backing member of a material clamp, generally indicated at 1 l0 and best seen in FIG. 1 l. The clamp 1 10 has a clamping member 111 attached to the stem 112 of an airoperated, piston-cylinder unit, generally indicated at 113. The cylinder 114 of the unit 113 is mounted on the slide plate 100. The unit 113 is operable to actuate the clamp to clamp or release the material 86 and the conduits thereto are shown in FIG. 16.

In pactice, the material 86 is threaded through and is supported by the member 109 so that with the clamp 110 released, the slide plate 100 may be returned by the unit 104 to its retracted or pick-up position, its full line position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 from its advanced or feeding position shown in broken lines therein. With the clamp 110 operated to grip the material 86, operation of the unit 104 to extend its stem results in a predetermined length of the material 86 being pulled from the spool 85 and a like length being projected into the path of a delivered tape length 22.

The support 98 has a front mount 115 on which the cylinder 116 of a double-acting, air-operated pistoncylinder unit, generally indicated at 117 is mounted with its stem 118 extending downwardly therethrough a freely through an L-shaped tension plate 119 with a cutter mount 120 fixed on its end. See FIG. 12. The tension plate 119 has a pin 121 supporting a tensioning spring 122 and extending through a bore 123 in a backing plate 124. The sides 125 of a cutter base 126 are se cured to the mount 115. The front edge 126A of the base 126 is a cutting edge to cooperate with the diagonal edge 127A of a cutter blade 127 fixed to the mount 120 and yieldably backed by the tension plate 119. The

cylinder 116 of the unit 117 has conduits 128 and 129 connected in the alternative to the source S or relief by a valve 130, see FIGS. 16 and 16A, thereby to be reciprocated between inoperative and cutting positions.

The material 86 is passed between the cutter blade 127 when inoperatively positioned and the cutter base 126 and is supported by the latter. It will be noted that the undersurface of the cutter mount 115 has a block of foam rubber 131 secured thereto to the bottom face of which a facing 132 of urethane is cemented with the block 131 dimensioned to extend normally below the cutting edge 127A. When the unit 117 is operated to cut a tie 24 from the material 86, the block 131 yields. As will subsequently be more fully explained the cutter blade 127 is held in its cutting position when the clamp 110 is released.

While the apparatus as thus far described enables a tie 24 to be disposed in the path of a tape length 22, there are additional factors to be considered. Because the bags B are on a conveyor C, because each tie 22 must be attached in a predetermined position relative both to the bag B and to the disposed tape length 22, and because the nature of the bag ties does not permit, as would be possible with some articles, the ties 24 to be deposited directly on the bags, each bag tie 22 is disposed by its dispenser above a bag B to which it is to be affixed and is releasably held. While the material 86 may be severed to form a tie 24 simultaneously with the delivery of a tape length 22, in the disclosed embodiment and as is preferred, the ties are formed in advance thereof. As the material 86 has a lead core 86A, the ties may be magnetically held. To that end, each side of the head 29 of the dispenser 21 is provided with a holder 133 for a permanent magnet unit 134 as a consequence of which the extended length of material 86 is releasably held before-it is severed to provide a tie 24.

The apparatus has thus far been described as having the over-running of its reel 85 prevented by the brake means described in connection with FIG. 5. With large capacity reels and with a high rate of applications, the use of a more positive braking action is necessary and such is shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. The hub of the reel 85A for the tie-forming material 86A has recesses 135, each having its end wall 136 provided with an axial hole 137. An axle consists of a first member 138, threaded at one end and carrying a clamping head 139 with its inner end tapered and dimensioned for entry into one wall hole 136. A stub member 140 carries a head 141 similar to the head 139 except that it has its bore threaded so that it can be threaded on the member 138 to complete the axle and clamp the reel 85A thereto. Flanged end bearings 142 are fixed on the outer ends of the axle-establishing members 138 and 140.

The base plate 81A of the apparatus has mounts 82A affixed thereon each having an upwardly opening slot 83A dimensioned to receive and confine an appropriate one of the axle bearings 142 and, below that slot, a port 143 in communication with an appropriate one of the hubs recesses 135.

Each mount 82A also has the cylinder 144 of a double-acting, air-operated piston-cylinder unit 145 secured thereto as at 146 below its port 143 with its stem 147 extending vertically and having a clamping head 148 secured thereto and extending through that port. When the units 145 are operated to extend their stems 147, the reel 85A is free but when the units 145 are operated to retract their stems, the clamping heads 148 are drawn downwardly into positive clamping engage ment with the mouths of the hub-defining recesses 135.

As is the case with the base plate 81, the base plate 81A has guide rollers about which the tie-forming ma terial 86A is trained but only the rollers 92A and 93A are shown.

While the operation of the apparatus has been generally described in explaining the function of the several air-operated, piston-cylinder units, reference is now made to FIGS. 16 and 16A in which air and electrical circuits are shown by which the desired sequence of op eration of such units is effected.

The operating circuitry includes a 115V AC circuit 150 provided with an on/off switch 151, an emergency, normally closed switch 152, a lamp 151A, and a 12V DC power supply 153. The circuit 150 also has a lead 150A including the solenoid 1548 of the normally open valve 154 by which the conduit 155 is placed in communication with the source S of air under pressure. The lead 150A is closed when the emergency switch 152 is operated thereby to energize the solenoid 1548 with the consequent closing of the valve 154 making further operation of the apparatus impossible.

The air conduit 155 has a first pair of branches 156 and 157, the former setting the four way valve 53 in its normal position in which the head 29 is in its raised position and the latter in communication with the interior of the valve 53. The valve 53 is shifted into its second position by a solenoid 53S and in said second position the unit 28 is operated to carry the head 29 into a position in which a tape length 22 is applied.

The air conduit 155 also has a second pair of branches 158 and 159 of which the branch 158 is connected to the four way valve 108 so that air yieldably holds that valve in a first position in which air delivered to the valve 108 operates the unit 104 to maintain the slide plate 100 of the material dispenser 23 normally in its retracted position. The valve 108 is shifted to effect the advanced position of the slide plate 100 when the solenoid valve 1085 is energized.

It will be noted the conduits 106 and 107 are also connected to the clamp operating unit 1 13 and the two units 145 by which the reel 85A is clamped against turning, the unit 113 being normally controlled to effect the open position of the clamp 110 and the units 145 being normally controlled to effect their reel clamping positions The air conduit 155 also has a third pair of branches 160 and 161. The branch 160 is connected to the valve 130 to urge it into its normal position in which air from the branch 161 is delivered by the valve 130 through the conduits 128 and 129 to the unit 117 in a manner positioning the cutter blade 127 in its upper, inoperative position. The cutter blade 127 is driven through its cutting stroke when the solenoid 1305 is energized to shift the valve 139.

It will be appreciated that it is necessary to operate the several units in a particular order and the status of each unit provides a convenient basis for so doing. For that reason, each of the units 28 and 104 is shown as of the type having a pair of magnetically operated switches A and B, the former closed when the piston of that unit is in its normal inoperative or retracted position and the latter closed when the appropriate piston is in its operative or advanced position. The unit 117 has a magnetically operated switch 117B closed by the piston thereof when the cutter blade 127 has been advanced into its operative position in which it cuts the material to form a tie 24.

The control circuitry of the DC power supply is responsive to a pulse such as that resulting from a particular, selected phase of the operation of the bag-making apparatus, for example, the closing of the normally open switch 162 by the unit H of the bag-making apparatus. For that reason, an AC circuit 163 includes the switch 162 and is closed thereby and a relay 164.

The power supply circuitry includes a first or negative lead 165 and a second lead 166. The lead 166 has a branch 165A common to the relays 167, 168, 169, 170, I71, 172, and 173 each of which operates two switches A and B between first or normal positions and second positions, and a relay 174 operating a single switch 174A between a first or normal position and a second position. A branch lead 165B is also connected to a branch 166A of the lead 166 through a lamp L to show that the DC source 153 is functioning and is also provided with a manually operable switch 175 operable to include in the lead 166A either the relay switch 164A or the parallel, manually operated, normally open switch 175A thus making it possible to have either automatic or manual operation. The lead 166A is provided with a manually operable switch 176 enabling either the lead 177 or the lead 178 to be connected thereto. With the lead 177 connected to the lead 166A, both tape lengths 22 and bag ties 24 are applied. With the leads 166A and 178 interconnected, only tape lengths 22 are applied. The branch lead 166A also includes a lead 179 provided with a normally closed switch 180 used for resetting purposes.

The lead 166 has a first unit-controlled branch 166B including the switches 28A and 104A, a second unitcontrolled branch 166C including the switch 283, and a third unit-controlled branch 166D including the switch 104B. The lead 166 includes the switch 117B and also has a branch 166E hereinafter referred to as the first holding lead. The first holding lead 166E includes the normally closed switches 171A and 170A of the relays 171 and 170, respectively, the normally closed switches 167B of the relay 167, and the normally open switch 169A of the relay 169.

Assuming the apparatus is ready and with the units 28, 104, and 117 set so that the tape head 29 is raised, the slide plate 100 is retracted and the cutter blade 127 is inoperatively positioned, the branch 1668 then energizes the relay 167 to which it is connected and the relay switches 167A and 1678 are accordingly shifted into their second positions. The switch 1673 of the holding lead 166E is now open and the switch 167A is closed relative to the lead 181 energizing the relay 168 to shift its switches 168A and 1688 into their second positions. In the second position of the switch 168A the lead 181 is connected to the branch 166A through the switch 169B in its first position and the branch 166G of the lead 166A thus providing a holding circuit for the relay 168.

With the switch 1688 in its second position, the leads 166G and 165D are connected so that the solenoid 1085 is energized as is the relay 171. The latter, when energized, opens the switch 171A of the holding lead 166E and the former, when energized, shifts the valve 108 to cause the advance of the slide plate 100 with the material attached thereto by the clamp 110 and the spool-holding clamping heads 148 released.

At the end of the feed stroke affected by the unit 104, its switch 104B closes the lead 166D energizing the relay 169 and with its switches 169A and 1698 in their second positions, the switch 169A connects the holding lead 166E to the relay 169 and the switch 169B connects the lead 166G and the lead 182 of the relay 170 which then shifts its switches 170A and 1703 into their second positions, and in the second position of the switch 170A, the holding lead 166E is connected to the relay 170 and in the second position of the switch 170B, the lead 165 is connected to the lead 166A so that the solenoid 1308 is energized and is operative to shift the valve 130 to effect the cutting stroke of the cutting blade 127.

On the closing of the unit switch 1173, the lead 166 is connected to the relay 172 which, when energized shifts its switches 172A and 1723 into their second positions with the switch 172B then closing the lead 165C so that the solenoid 53S is energized as a consequence of which the valve 53 is shifted and the unit 28 is operated to drive the head 29 to effect the application of a tape length 22 to a bag B, carrying with it a tie 24. As the relay 169 is still held energized by the holding lead 166E, the switch 104B remains closed as does the lead 165C. The switch 172A in its second position closes a holding lead 184 including the normally closed switch 173B of the relay 173.

When the tape head 29 has been thus positioned the lead 166C is closed by the switch 283 to energize the relay 174 to open the switch 174B of the lead 184.

In the event both units 28 and 104 have not returned to their starting positions with the head 29 and slide plate 100 fully retracted and with the switches 28A and 104A again closed, the relay 167 is not energized and the lead 177 is connected by the relay switch 167A in its first position to a lead 185 to the relay 173 which is then energized by a pulse to shift its switches 173A and 1738 into their second positions. In the second position of the switch 173A, it connects the leads 165A and 179 thus completing the circuit through the lamp R to indicate the timing is wrong. The leads 186 and 187 of a control circuit of the bag-making apparatus are normally interconnected by a normally closed, emergency stop switch 188, desirably mechanically connected to the stop switch 152 so that they may be operated together. The lead 185 also includes the relay switch 1738 which is closed in its second position so that the bag-making apparatus is stopped in the event the timing is wrong.

Mention has previously been made that the apparatus may be operated so that its sole function is applying tape lengths 22 either automatically or by the manual operation of the switch 172 if the switch 176 is set to connect the leads 166A and 178, the lead 178 being connected to the relay 172 so that the lead 165C is closed by the relay switch 172A when the switch 28B is closed and the lead 166C is closed by the relay switch 1728 when the unit 28A closes.

lf the apparatus is provided with an automatic stop operable when a tape roll is used up or nearly used up, by means of a follower urged into engagement with the periphery of the roll such as that shown in FIG. 5, the air-operated unit 76 urging the follower into such engagement is connected to the air supply conduit 155 by a branch conduit 189. The stem 74 of the unit 70 is operable to close a normally open switch 77 when it has been retracted to an extent indicative of a nearly exhausted tape roll. The switch 79 is in a lead 190 interconnecting the leads 166A and 183 so that when it is closed the relay 173 is energized with the consequence that the lamp R gives a warning and the bag-making apparatus is halted.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for attaching a member to an article when in a predetermined position, said apparatus comprising a support extending at least part way across said position, a pressure sensitive tape dispenser attached to said support and including a head reciprocable between a first position spaced from said predetermined position and a second position in which it is operable to press a severed length of such tape against an article in that position, a member dispenser including a reel for a long length of flexible, member-forming material, and reciprocable feed means operable to withdraw predetermined lengths of said material from said reel along a substantially straight path and simultaneously to project a free terminal length in a substantially straight line into the path of said tape lengths, holding means carried by said tape dispenser operable to releasably hold said projected length spaced from an article in said predetermined position, said member dispenser also including cutting means between the feed means and said tape dispenser and in the path of the projected material and operable to out free said projected terminal length and control means to operate said member dispenser whenever the tape dispenser is operated to effect the replacement of the tape length then secured to an article and attaching the member thereto, and means to operate said cutting means while the member is held above the article.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the article is of non-magnetic material, the member includes a magnetically responsive portion and the holding means includes at least one magnet unit.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the article is a bag and the member is a tie therefor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the head includes a feed portion operable to present a tape length in a position to be pressed against the article and a pair of magnet units spaced lengthwise of the position of a dispensed member with said portion between them.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the member feed means includes a clamp provided with backing and clamping portions between which the flexible, member-forming material extends, a power operated unit to bring said clamping portions into and out of a material-clamping relationship and the control means operates said unit and is operable to effect said clamping relationship when the reciprocable means is withdrawing material from said reel.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which the material severing means includes cooperating cutting elements between which the flexible, member-forming material extends and which are spaced apart when said feed means are operated to advance said material, said power operated unit being operable to effect the material severing relationship of said elements, and the control means operates said severing means when the feed means has been operated to draw a length of material from said reel.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 in which the cutting elements also include cooperating portions operable to clamp the free end of the flexible member-forming ma- 10. The apparatus of claim 1 and means operable to hold said reel against turning and including clamp means movable into and out of clamping relation with said reel, a fluid pressure operated unit operable to so move the clamping means and the control means operate said unit to effect reel clamping except when said feed means is in operation to withdraw said material from said reel. 

1. APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING A MEMBER TO AN ARTICLE WHEN IN A PREDETERMINED POSITION, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING A SUPPORT EXTENDING AT LEAST PART WAY ACROSS SAID POSITION, A PRESSURE SENSITIVE TAPE DISPENSER ATTACHED TO SAID SUPPORT AND INCLUDING A HEAD RECIPROCABLE BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION SPACED FROM SAID PREDETERMINED POSITION AND A SECOND POSITION IN WHICH IT IS OPERABLE TO PRESS A SEVERED LENGTH OF SUCH TAPE AGAINST AN ARTICLE IN THAT POSITION, A MEMBER DISPENSER INCLUDING A REEL FOR A LONG LENGTH OF FLEXIBLE, MEMBER-FORMING MATERIAL, AND RECIPROCABLE FEED MEANS OPERABLE TO WITHDRAW PREDETERMINED LENGTHS OF SAID MATERIAL FROM SAID REEL ALONG A SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT PATH AND SIMULTANEOUSLY TO PROJECT A FREE TERMINAL LENGTH IN A SUBSTANTIALLY STRAIGHT LINE INTO THE PATH OF SAID TAPE LENGTHS, HOLDING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID TAPE DISPENSER OPERABLE
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the article is of non-magnetic material, the member includes a magnetically responsive portion and the holding means includes at least one magnet unit.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which the article is a bag and the member is a tie therefor.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the head includes a feed portion operable to present a tape length in a position to be pressed against the article and a pair of magnet units spaced lengthwise of the position of a dispensed member with said portion between them.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the member feed means includes a clamp provided with backing and clamping portions between which the flexible, member-forming material extends, a power operated unit to bring said clamping portions into and out of a material-clamping relationship and the control means operates said unit and is operable to effect said clamping relationship when the reciprocable means is withdrawing material from said reel.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which the material severing means includes cooperating cutting elements between which the flexible, member-forming material extends and which are spaced apart when said feed means are operated to advance said material, said power operated unit being operable to effect the material severing relationship of said elements, and the control means operates said severing means when the feed means has been operated to draw a length of material from said reel.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 in which the cutting elements also include cooperating portions operable to clamp the free end of the flexible member-forming material during the operation of the Feed means in drawing said material from the reel.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 in which one of said cutting elements is connected to and operable by said unit and one of said cooperating portions is resiliently yieldable and normally extends below the cutting edge of said one cutting element.
 9. The apparatus of claim 6 in which the power operated unit of the severing means is operated in advance of the operation of the tape dispenser.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1 and means operable to hold said reel against turning and including clamp means movable into and out of clamping relation with said reel, a fluid pressure operated unit operable to so move the clamping means and the control means operate said unit to effect reel clamping except when said feed means is in operation to withdraw said material from said reel. 